Bouquets & Brickbats

They get what they deserve

recently awarded $5,000 scholarships to 10 Warren Easton Charter High School graduating seniors. Bullock also appeared at the school's 2014 commencement ceremony May 19. The Oscar-winning actress and part-time New Orleans resident has donated more than $500,000 to the school since 2006 to help renovate Warren Easton's facilities after the 2005 levee failures, which pushed 10 feet of water onto the campus.

The Emeril Lagasse Foundation

awarded $125,000 in grants to New Orleans-area nonprofit organizations. Grants to Cafe Hope and Cafe Reconcile will support job-training programs, and Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana will provide breakfast, lunch and snacks to 4,000 low-income children at summer camps. A grant to New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) will provide uniforms and equipment to students in NOCCA's culinary program.

Jonathan Johnson,

a teacher at KIPP Central City Academy, was named a national finalist for the 2014 Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Practice, a $25,000 award recognizing excellence in education. More than 800 teachers were considered. Sci Academy's Evan Stoudt was named a semi-finalist, and New Orleans-area teachers Justine Katzenbach, Kelsey Lambrecht and Lindsay Bardes were honorable mentions.

Delrice Jermaine Augustus,

former auditing director of the state Department of Children and Family Services, pleaded guilty May 28 in U.S. District Court to stealing up to $200,000 from the agency since 2010 to purchase personal items and hotel rooms in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and the NBA All-Star Game. He faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.